Zambia’s envoy to Canada elected Ottawa Diplomatic Association chief

Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada, Bob Samakai, has been elected president of the Ottawa Diplomatic Association (ODA).

Mr. Samakai was unanimously elected during the ODA’s annual general meeting which was held on Thursday, 28 February 2013 at the Indonesian Embassy in Ottawa.

The Zambian envoy takes over from the outgoing ODA president, Zenon Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is the Polish Ambassador to Canada.

This is according to a statement released to ZANIS today by the Zambian High Commission in Canada.

In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Samakai thanked the executive committee and the delegates at the General Assembly of ODA for the confidence they have placed in him.

Ambassador Samakai promised the delegates that he would do his best to ensure that ODA continued to be instrumental in fostering a strong relationship between the diplomatic community, the Canadian people and the host government.

“I accepted this honour on behalf of my country, Zambia, and Africa as a whole,” High Commissioner Samakai said.

He expressed his gratitude to his predecessor, Ambassador Kosiniak-Kamysz for his excellent work during his tenure of office as ODA president.

ODA is a voluntary non-profit social organisation whose goal is to raise standards through innovation and to make ODA an all-inclusive, premier association in Ottawa.

The ODA draws its voluntary membership from the diplomatic agents of foreign countries and members of international organisations accredited to Canada.